Our Time is Running Out
by Strife Knight
Summary: Two Konoha shinobi, best friends. Seperated and then reunited, only to find out one is a Sand Village Ninja, and the other a Sound ninja. How will there old friendship change things when the Kazekage is kidnapped?
1. Prologue: Nobodie's Home

I know out of boredom I made a fluffy fic about Sasuke and Shiba. Well this is where Shiba came from. Hope you like it. The first two chapters are the prologue, so sorry if they're a bit dry. The second one's pretty interesting…I think.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I own the Kujira clan. And that's about it.

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Pat pat…pat pat… the sound of footsteps hurriedly running threw rain could weakly be heard, but it was to late a night, and to faint a sound to raise anyone's attention. As the thunder stroke, the figure of an exhausted, sickly woman covered in many layers of clothing trotted threw the rain. Clutching another bundle in her shaking arms. Strands of the woman's light purple, almost lilac bangs shown from her face, her hazy, icy blue eyes focused and determined on some point as her ever-weakening breath heaved in and out. The footsteps touched concrete as the young woman ran up a small staircase, and knocked hastily on the door. As light shown on the pale woman's figure….black.

'Wonder who that lady is…I have that dream once a week at least.' A little girl asked herself as she walked down the streets of Konohagakure. To the academy for another normal day of being a student. It didn't interest her to much, being only seven years old she wasn't able to stay still or focus for long. What's more, what did she have to enjoy? She really didn't get along with anyone to well. The little girl sighed as she walked down the hall to class. Her name was Sakai Shiba, an up and coming Konoha shinobi. Short premature white hair and bright blue eyes were her give away features. The fact that she was slightly pale for someone in perfect health was slightly disturbing to the other children, as was her unhealthy thin figure.

Shiba walked in, sat down in her usual seat, in the right corner closest to the sensei, farthest from most of the students. Five minutes before class started. Shiba noted this as she looked at the clock. A light ruffling from the back of the room, coming again and again forced her to look towards the complete opposite of the room. Bottom left, a little blonde girl, much shorter then Shiba, was half curled in her desk, shielding herself from being bombarded with balled up paper. Shiba half glared and rolled her eyes. She remembered that girl, new student from…somewhere. She hadn't paid much attention to that part. Kids where so cruel. But why wasn't that girl defending herself at all? Shiba could tell from here, this girl was a wimp. Am underdog she felt bad for. As Shiba noticed the cause of the paper heaving going at it again, Shiba's eyes narrowed on her target as she shuriken-tossed one of her pencils straight for the boys head. Bull's-eye. As the kid wheeled around to see his attacker, meeting eyes with the little Sakain girl made him turn directly back around. Far be it from him to pick a fight with her. Shiba wasn't liked, but she was strong for her age. Shiba looked at the little blonde girl, her sad emerald eyes locked with Shiba's angered blue ones, before the white haired girl looked away. The teacher's figure appeared in the room only seconds later and another average lesson began. It was hours later before they were free to go home. As the children charge for the outdoors Shiba walked calmly. She was in no hurry to get home, mostly because she didn't have a home to go to. Shiba sat on the academy swing, the one by the tree so close to the school. She swung slightly, watching her feet wave back and forth when the familiar meek footsteps were heard, and she looked up to see the little blonde girl from class. A small smile found itself to Shiba's face as she looked on the petrified looking child. The little girl's gaze shyly met Shiba, who continued to smile. The blonde looked around, to see whom the sick girl was smiling at. She couldn't believe it was her, and she didn't have time to. Two larger boys, probably two or three years older then Shiba, and one boy she remembered from her class, circled the little girl. Man did the torture of this kid never end?! As the two older children began shoving the little girl back and forth, Shiba noticed, she wasn't going to make them stop. With an aggravated sigh, at the older students, and the girl with no spine, the Sakain girl leapt forward. Getting a decent running start, and giving the first boy a kick in the head he wouldn't soon forget. He fell to the ground, and looked toward the girl, only one half his size. He got up, towering over her, but before he could even move his fist, punch. One good thing Shiba discovered about being so much smaller, you were in perfect range of ones gut without even trying. The first child, now clutching his stomach, simply walked away.

Shiba scoffed at the one walking away, and with a glare, turned to the other two, popping her knuckles loudly. The older of the two glanced at her, and backed away. The smaller boy clutched his sleeve. "Lets go home Nii-chan…I don't want to catch her disease." He muttered, and the two horridly left. Shiba watched them. Still glaring. For the last bloody time she was not sick! She just looked that way! Oh well, let sleeping dogs lie. She now looked at the little blonde, who was now on the ground, on he verge of tears. Shiba stood by her, smiling slightly.

"Ya know. You got pretty good posture for someone without a backbone." Shiba told, folding her arms behind her and bending down closer to her little rescuey. The girl looked at her, then turned away. Shiba gave a blank stare, then held her hand out. "Come on. Don't sit there. Don't let those baka's keep you down. Show um' you got guts." Shiba told. Growing up alone had made her extremely hard shelled, and she enjoyed violence a bit much for a seven year old. The smaller girl looked up, and with a weak smile, took Shiba's hand. When she was back on her feet, she spoke. In a little whisper.

" Ari…Arigato. M...my name's Asuna. Meimu Asuna." The blonde stated. Shiba began to turn, and looked at Asuna with a grin.

"Asuna huh? Okay A-chan. I'm Shiba." She stated. Yes, Shiba found nicknames, and gave them out rather quick. Sadly, Asuna was a bit slow to follow.

"I…I said A-suna…not A…" She tried to fix Shiba's statement, only to get a double blink and a blank stare from Shiba.

"Wow you're kinda slow huh?" Shiba laughed, poking the girl on the forehead. It was at this time she noticed how different they looked. Shiba was pale, in the almost sick way, Asuna was tan, like she spent her life in a desert. Shiba's hair was short and white, Asuna's was long and dirty blonde, Shiba had pale, bright blue eyes, and Asuna had deep green eyes. Shiba wore a gray short sleeve shirt and black shorts, Asuna wore some kind of layered satin get up.

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There differences between them didn't seem to bother the two. And they quickly bonded. Shiba grew very protective over the shy Asuna within the months they spent together. And within a few weeks, the other students learned to leave Asuna alone or answer to white haired death. Well it was normally just a punch or two but kids always seemed to overreact. Shiba spent a lot of time over at Asuna's home, which made her momentarily forget she didn't have one of her own. If they weren't there, they were off on the hillside, either playing, training, or, whenever Asuna got her way, laying back looking at the clouds.

It was on an average day like this, thank the good lord Buddha for days off class, This was the day the two's entire life was changed. Asuna had managed to get her way, after a short while of clinging to her friends arm with the dreaded puppy eyes, they had done nothing but throw shuriken at trees and spare with each other for a week! It was time for a break. The two sat on the hillside, exchanging small talk as they watched the clouds go by. Shiba glanced over to the two grown men standing before them. Asuna did as well, but unlike Shiba who just looked, Asuna's eyes grew large, and she looked frightened. No surprise to Shiba, Asuna looked frightened at everything.

"Meimu-san…" The first man spoke, taking a step closer, and taking the girls wrist. Lifting her from her seat. "You need to come with us." Asuna said nothing, and Shiba was to shocked to speak. As the men walked away, Asuna in hand, the little blonde looked at her friend sadly, for one last time.

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"Bye…" She whispered, Shiba stood up and looked, watching helplessly as her friend was taken away. Maybe they'd bring her back in a minute? Or by tomorrow? Yeah, tomorrow for sure. Shiba waved gently, turning to wander aimlessly.

"Bye…A-chan…" She muttered as Asuna's figure faded from view.

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To Shiba's sadness, Asuna didn't come back that day, the next day, or even two weeks after she had left. Shiba missed her friend terribly, and spent most of her free time either wandering around the village with a crushed expression, or sitting by the village gate looking out into the sky, waiting for Asuna and her family to re-appear. Two weeks. Fourteen days. Shiba couldn't take it anymore. The fact that she was only seven years old was forgotten, and in a hurried manor, she had packed her shinobi equipment, and had run away from Konohagakure. It was time to get A-chan back. If she had to do it alone, what else was new? Four days after the young child's descent, she ran into someone, but that someone wasn't Asuna. Oh no, Shiba found herself looking into the face of the most frightening thing she had ever seen, and to make it worse, she was alone, and had no way to escape.

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End chapter. I think that went okay…I know it was dry. I tired to make it slightly interesting. Well next chapter we learn why Shiba's not a Konoha Shinobi anymore, and how influential children can be.

Please review. I want to feel like this is going somewhere atleast…


	2. Wondering When Savior Comes

I realized that the time skip thingies I used vanished…so everything is clustered together. I'll fix that very soon, sorry again. Anyway this is where we learn why Shiba left Konoha.

Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. Nothing has changed from 3 days ago when I didn't own it.

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Shiba didn't know how long it would take her to find Asuna, she wasn't even completely sure how she was going to find her. But when faced with such a dilemma, how did anyone expect her to think to clearly? After two weeks, it would be difficult to follow any tracks they left behind. She was only seven after all. Shiba had run off in the direction the men had taken Asuna, and for two days followed that path straight. It was on the third day she found a small cot of people to ask. Her first lead. Sadly, her poor planning skills had raised their heads once more by the fourth morning. She had not brought enough food, and assumed by this time she would find another market to purchase some. She had not, but refused to change course and turn around. It was on that night, cold, hungry, and tired, that the little shinobi was wandering threw a forest. Her usual bright blue eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, they burned, and to relive the feeling she kept her eyes closed for several seconds at a time and walked. She had no idea the critical judgment, and life changing idea this was. Her eyes closed, she didn't see the ditch, the long sliding path leading down, and for that, she tripped, and where she landed was a world of hell she never thought she would find so young.

"Looky boys. This little miss just dropped in." Shiba rubbed her throbbing head, and looked towards the source of the voice, a large man. A dangerous looking man with some sort of wooden club that he bat against his palm several times. Shiba looked around, to find that there were eight other men, a little smaller but much like this man no less. Each had a choice weapon, about as threatening as the large club. A spiky ball attached to a steel chain caught Shiba's eye for sure. Her eyes then wandered, and she made a mad dash for the other side of the group. It was the same spiky ball that slammed against her side and threw her against a tree branch. Shiba glanced at her bleeding arm, then to the grinning men. "Whatcha' doin' here girly?" The tallest man asked, with another grin. Shiba looked around, her eyes filling with tears as she yelled.

"Leave me alone!" She demanded, thought little good that did, if anything it made them move closer. Shiba closed her eyes, waiting for the impact of the club against her skull, when suddenly… 'Slash-Slash…clank…rip' Shiba heard these noises, but noticed, they weren't inflicted on her. Her eyes opened to a sudden bloody grass field. Her eyes very narrow at this point, but they became gold ball sized at the sight. Those men who were about to make mince meat out of her were gone, dead. She looked up, to find another, slimmer figure standing above her.

The sight, was amazing. The bloody sword in the man's hand was proof that he was the one who had saved her, but it wasn't the sword that caught her eye, when she looked up at the man, it was his eyes that made it impossible for her to look away. Gold eyes…reptilian eyes in narrow slits. Shiba almost fell forward. 'They're beautiful…' she thought as the man kneeled down beside her. Her eyes followed his, he glanced at her hair, then her skin tone, then her own eyes. Then with a grin, he spoke.

"Dear child, someone as young as you shouldn't be so far from home." His tone seemed concerned, but also, a strong hint of entertainment. Shiba just looked on, with the trauma over, the fact that she almost lost her life finally hit her. The little child began to cry quietly, which soon lead to a full out hysterical sobbing. The fact that she was only a child reared its ugly head once more. Another amused smile crossed her savior's lips as he placed a hand on her head. Shiba looked up moments later, her pale face turning a light red color as she looked at the man. And when he stood, she did as well. Doing her best to look into his gorgeous eyes. With a small glance back words, he spoke again. In that dark, frightening voice Shiba became fascinated with so quickly.

"Are you going home?" He asked, turning back and looking down on the little girl. Shiba glanced behind him, into his eyes, the ground, and then with a glance, back to his eyes.

"I'm not going back. There is no back." Shiba now looked off, glaring. This little run in had shown her she wasn't going to find Asuna, but there was no reason to go back to a place she hated without her. She looked back at the pale man as he began to walk away. Shiba turned and watched, after several strides he stopped, and looked at her.

"Are you coming?" He asked. Shiba knew the moment he asked if she didn't answer that moment he would start to walk off again. Then again…she didn't need a moment. Shiba stepped forward, and then ran to his side. Shiba had more then one time heard of 'love at first sight' which she never honestly believed in, this was different; this was loyalty at first sight. She knew from this moment on she would give her life for this man at the very command.

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If Shiba had any doubt about her feelings when she first met her savior, it was completely lost when she learned that this was the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. The man she had long sense learned about, adored from what she knew, and held a small grudge against her village for not choosing him to be Hokage. The fact that he had taken the lives of many and was probably insane in more ways then one had completely gone over her head. As it did now. Shiba thought of these things over in her head, Asuna had basically slipped her mind within the past weeks. Or, had been replaced with hate. If Asuna wanted to come back, she would have. The little brat always got her way after all. Still, she didn't need to think about that any more. It was no longer a part of her life. She had a new life, a new family. Well more like…a person. Orochimaru-sama had placed her in the care of an old man, her 'grampa'.

The months Shiba spent from Konohagakure turned into a year. It was at this time Shiba's Kekkei Genkai was awoken. The 'Gakugan', an eye trait that made a pure white line go completely threw her eyes, dividing her blue iris in half. Shiba soon noticed how her knew ability worked. She was now a living radar screen, not only could she see vibrations, she could send them threw her hands and feet, the best part, strong vibrations destroyed the body's cells and even organs. Threw some research she learned that the pride jutsu of her clan involved gravity. Though not knowing what this clan was, Shiba was only able to find two jutsu she could teach herself.

Shiba became a Sound Shinobi at the age of 10, and was sent on missions much to dangerous for a child, or so most thought. Her most difficult was going undercover as a rain village Gennin. This was of her own asking, trying to prove to Orochimaru she was ready to do such dangerous things. From this mission she still had a headband. Now was her time to prove she really was worth something, seven years after leaving it, Shiba was going back to Konoha. What she would find there, would once again change her life for good.

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End chapter.


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